Integrity Vs. Making a living [RE-wrenches]

Ray Walters remotech at taosnm.com
Fri May 23 10:25:10 PDT 2003 

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I wanted to stay out of this, but .... I just met with my distributor who I 
have been loyally buying from for over 6 years. What does that kind of long 
term relationship get you? Pricing above the .coms, and worst: they're 
supplying my local competition including dangerously incompetent installers 
and mega discounters selling at my cost.
Meanwhile, I have been foolishly trying to offer my customers top quality 
design, installation, service, and education.The super discounting is way 
worse than keeping me from being competitive; it creates bad will. All my 
efforts to win my customer's trust dissolve when that customer thinks that 
I over charged them.
I don't have a problem with solar panels selling for $3.25/ watt. Lower 
prices are accelerating the growth of our industry and making solar more 
competitive with fossil fuels. We, the wrenches simply need a reasonable 
margin to cover our contribution to the sell.
The solution to this was addressed previously:
1) establish firm chains of distribution with fair profit margins for all,
2) limit discount advertising,
3) thoroughly train and certify dealers,
4) set dealers up with separate sells territories.
5) refer business from a national advertising campaign to the local dealer.
(Hmmm, sounds like other businesses.)
We the wrenches can only complain, but the manufacturers and their 
distributors hold the future integrity of the solar business in their hands.

Ray

ray at solarray.com


  At 05:36 PM 5/21/2003 -0700, you wrote:
>In other more established industries manufacturers tie warranty length
>or validity to professionally qualified, trained, and identified
>(certified, licensed, approved etc.) installers.
>
>Ezra Auerbach
>DragonSun Consulting
>Morewater Road
>Lasqueti Island, B.C. V0R 2J0
>
>ezra at lasqueti.net
>250 333 8650 voice
>250 333 8670 fax
>
>
>-----Original Message-----
>From: Greg Egan [mailto:gegan at renewalaska.com]
>Sent: Wednesday, May 21, 2003 4:36 PM
>To: RE-wrenches at topica.com
>Subject: Re: Marketing issue [RE-wrenches]
>
>
>Wrenches,
>
>I just got off the phone with Robin Gudgel at Outback. We we're
>discussing a certain retailer from Texas, and pricing. He asked me to
>post this message to the list. (Chris Freitas is out of town)
>
>In short, he explained to the dealer that if they choose to sell Outback
>products below the suggested list price in the future, they will not
>advertise it, period. They're allowed to say something like "Call for
>pricing".
>
>Also, Robin is trying to come up with a short line he can include in
>future advertisements, recommending that customers hire a professional
>to install Outback products. He'd appreciate help from some of you
>marketing wizards out there. He wants to come up with it soon so it can
>go out in the next HP ads (due next week)
>
>"Hiring a pro is one of the best investments you can make." " Do it
>right the first time, hire a pro." " CAUTION: Outback Products perform
>best in a professionally designed and installed RE system." Anybody know
>how to say all that in one line?
>
>Send suggestions to rgudgel at outbackpower.com
>
>Thanks,
>
>Greg
>
>"Nick Nicholas, APS" wrote:
>
> > Hi Kurt:
> >     One of the companies in HP this month has quoted two of my
> > customer in the last three months.  The company, based in TX, has a
> > two page add in HP with pricing listed higher than what they have been
>
> > quoting.  They have been quoting my customers $3.35 (freight included,
>
> > no sales tax) per watt for 16 Sharp modules or more.  If anyone wants
> > to stop buying from their distributor, this retailer could possibly
>give you a better deal!
> >     This internet company quoted SWR-2500U-SBDs to a customer for 5%
> > lower than most any distributor.  Possibly, the internet company isn't
>
> > aware of the recent price increases on the imported inverters, or they
>
> > have old stock.
> >
> >             Nick Nicholas
> >             Chief of Engineering
> >             Alternative Power Systems, Inc.
> >             135 Colfax Ave. Grass Valley CA 959545
> >             530-274-0588 530-274-0589 530-913-5605
> >             aps at sbcglobal.net alternativepowersystems.com
> >
> > Add this card to your address book
> >
> > Alternative Power Systems
> > www.alternativepowersystems.com
> > aps at sbcglobal.net
> > 135 Colfax Ave.
> > Grass Valley, CA 95945
> > (530) 274-0588 phone
> > (530) 274-0589 fax
> > ----- Original Message -----
> > From: "sunwise" <sunwise at cheqnet.net>
> > To: <RE-wrenches at topica.com>
> > Sent: Thursday, May 15, 2003 8:38 PM
> > Subject: Marketing issue [RE-wrenches]
> >
> > > Thanks to all who have replied regarding this marketing dilemma.
> > >
> > > All of your replies have helped me in making the decision to
> > > continue selling HP out of my storefront.  Some times it doesn't
> > > seem to make economic sense to do something, but it just makes
> > > regular sense?  I sell this to my customers on a regular basis and I
>
> > > guess I'll keep the faith in that concept.
> > >
> > > Kurt Nelson
> > >
> > > PS - It still really pisses me off some times.  That job was in the
> > > neighborhood!
> > >
> > > PPS -- I'm going to call these folks and get a sense for what is up
> > > with their marketing.  Maybe it turns out they are also using truly
> > > false statements and scams to make a living on these advertised
> > > prices.  We need to stay on top of such crap happening in our
> > > industry. Give em a call and ask a bunch of solar questions, might
> > > be interesting.
> > >
> > > - - - -
> > > To send a message: RE-wrenches at topica.com
> > >
> > > Archive of previous messages:
> > > http://www.topica.com/lists/RE-wrenches/
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> > >
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> > >
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> > >
> > > Moderator: michael.welch at homepower.com
> > >
> > >
> > >
> >
> > ----------------------------------------------------------------------
> > ------
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> >
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>
>--
>Greg Egan
>Alaska Renewable Energy
>981 Gold Mine Trail Fairbanks, Alaska 99712
>Phone: 907-457-4299; Fax: 907-457-4290; Email: gegan at renewalaska.com
>URL:  http://www.renewalaska.com
>
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>
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>
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>
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>
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>
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